David Smith

Certainly for me personally, security did actually feel a little tighter than usual.

I had to share my invitation even to get onto the

hotel grounds.

But I heard others saying that it was pretty lax.

And as a general rule with this, you don't have to show your personal ID.

You are mingling with hotel guests.

Of course, the administration would claim ultimately the system did work.

This attacker did not get to the ballroom, did not have Trump in his sights.

But even so, I think there will now be a review of whether an event like this can proceed in the same way in future.

I think classic Trump, the showman, seizing this moment for his own political advantage and realising how he can cast himself as a brave, defiant leader who will not be cowed by the terrorists.

It was typical Trump to hold a press conference immediately, be wearing black tie.

The journalists were also...

still dressed in their gala fineries.

And of course, also a very typical Trump that he would immediately pivot and turn this into an advert for his $400 million ballroom at the White House, which has been very controversial, but he suggested this proves tight security is needed just as a

A side note, certainly this particular dinner being run by a journalist organization would never be held in such a ballroom anyway.

But the whole thing really recalls the assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, when he rose from the ground, you know, fist aloft, his face bloodied and chanted fight, fight, fight, producing some iconic images.

And of course, anything that changes the conversation from the Iran war is helpful to him.

That's right.

And Trump himself was asked about this at the Saturday press conference and more or less shrugged it off.

And the kind of air resignation indicated is the price of doing business these days that as a politician, you'll be a target.